DWP - they are not all machines, some are human. I was one.

I don't often post on these forums as I find them depressing. I have had fibro diagnosed for 5 years now and lost my job at guess where? Yes the DWP!

It's a long story but I got help from the Benefits and Work site which you have to pay a small yearly fee of £20 a year to get access to all their guides but it is well worth it. It is ran by ex-benefit workers, some very high level and they know what they are talking about and keep abreast of all changes, like next years looming PIP payments to replace DLA.

I recently had to change from Incapacity to ESA and like almost everyone else was initially put in the work group. With out going into all my personal problems I would suggest you read the guides with someone to help you who can talk on your behalf and let them have 3rd party rights. It will help and you won't get as confused and frustrated if someone else can keep a clear head for you, relay what is said, help to explain and fill in those awful forms. My sister did it for me.

I asked for a reconsideration and a very nice assessor from the DWP rang my sister, and then spoke to me, and after only 15 minutes of answering his questions honestly, he agreed I should be in the support group. Blessed relief.

As I said the DWP are human beings doing an extremely difficult job and yes there are those who are mini Hitler's but most are under terrible job pressures and will help you within the written rules they have to abide by.

I hope as an ex DWP employee this gives you a different perspective and my one big tip - be honest. If they discover through any means an untruth, you will be highlighted as a risk. Never say anything you cannot back up with evidence from a GP or Specialist. Make sure you keep ever letter from Dr's etc, and what the DWP have sent to you. Always keep the names and times of whoever you spoke too and what was said.

Yes I can hear you saying - it is a lot for someone, however intelligent or resourceful, to do when you have Fibro or any other chronic condition - so get 3rd party help. It doesn't have to be a family member - but it does have to be someone you can trust with a reasonable degree of literacy and communication skills. CAB offer this service but most are swamped. There are other charities that do this and support groups but the best place for advice is the website I mentioned, Benefit and Work.co.uk. Its £20 a year I think now, and worth every penny. If you need any more advice that is the place to go to do with anything concerning benefits. I hope this helps and sorry it was a big read, it took me ages to type it! Hugs. Stephanie.

[Akasha72]

that is great to know Stephanie. I've been put into the work related ESA group and have to go and see my adviser at the job centre every three months. It's taking it's toll - not only with stress of worrying about it.

My advisor has admitted (on the quiet) to me that she can see with her own eyes that I'm not well enough for work. I'm due to see her again in January, is it worth bringing up the subject of getting myself moved into the support group?

I'm really not sure how this works so any futher advise from you would be a big help.

Many thanks

Akasha

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My advice would be to go to the site Benefits and work.co.uk and look at what they advise. There are bits on the site which guests can look at. Every person, every case they deal with is different there are no hard and fast rules and a lot of grey areas. You should get out your award notice and see if the time to ask for a reconsideration has lapsed. If it has then your only recourse is to appeal the decision. I am out of date as an ex employee so the site I mentioned and getting a 3rd party to help you take the strain and stress out of it would be your best way forward, I think. Good luck. Stephanie.

[Akasha72]

thank you, I'll look into it

[Hidden]

Hello AngelStar, We do have some good stories to tell about the folks from the DWP occasionally, it is not always doom and gloom. Only last week there was a member who was praising one of their staff for the extra help she was given after a visit to her home. Although I have been on the forum for a few months now I am a new volunteer and I do know that we have a group membership of the website that you mention for all of our members. They only need to email one of the Admin team and they can send them the helpful guides that you have pointed out free of charge. I know for a fact just how helpful they are as I have just used one of them myself to help me compile my own claim. I don't think that everyone will be aware of this though so thanks for giving us the opportunity to share it again. If anybody does want to email members of the Admin team they can find them in the Directory at the top of the page.

You give some great tips for us all AngelStar, thanks for your post! Jane x

[Sthandra]

Hi angelstar nice to meet you I was wondering I could be cheeky and pick you brain metaphorically speaking, I wonder if you could tell me what is likely to happen to me when all changes I currently receive DLA high rate for life care for life and severe disablement allowance until further notice you advice would be greatfully received thankyou. Big greatfull hugs Sithy

[joy220954]

Hello ladygreenfingers when i email one of the the admin team what do i ask for not sure is helpfull guide forms kind regards ......x

[Hidden in reply to joy220954]

Hi there Joy, if you email [e-mail] then Admin will gladly send you the Benefits and Work info sheets. Hope this helps and that you find the info sheets helpful too!

[joy220954 in reply to Hidden]

hi liberty thank you ......x

[Hidden]

Hi thanks for the info that you listed...I am about to renew my Autistic sons DLA, he's 14 and this will be the third claim...the forms have changed and they seem geared at much younger children with very little i feel relevent questions. I I have subscribed and there is also a discount code so its less than £16 a year....there was alot of useful info to draw on and some of the other stuff I have read is also great and a real insite should I feel my own situation worsening... great info!

[XHelp]

I have to agree despite all the fear at the prospect of being moved from IB to ESA and horror stories I have read, my experience with the staff at ATOS has been nothing but positive, they have been kind and treated me very well, I know this is personal to me but I feel I should share. As it may help someone else to be less afraid XH

[PeteG]

Hi just started looking into benifits, only been diagnosed this year and when I see all the frustration and the anxiety which the benefits process brings I feel my depresssion getting worse before I have even filled in a form.... Just reading posts it seems to me every one is getting into the minefield of claims and starting an uphill struggle that obviously causes a lot of people to just give up trying... The key has to be in getting all your facts right and being preperred from the start and knowing how the benifits process works... Great having said that where do you start ?? Please bare in mind I am only a man, please make allowances!

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Hi Pete,

Your local CAB are best placed to help or any support group for your condition you may have locally too. My advice is as follows:

When filling in benefit forms be honest and back up all your claims to ill health with proof from your GP or specialist in the way of letters which detail your condition not appointment letters. With the freedom of information act you are entitled to see all the documentation they may hold on you. Also keep a repeat prescription list which details the medication you are on and keep it up to date.

Remember if your condition fluctuates as mine does, that they will want to know how you are on your worst day and your best, how often your bad days are compared to good, and what you can or cannot achieve on these days. You will probably have to attend an Atos medical if you do not supply sufficient information or proof of your condition.

It is all down to paperwork and proof but bearing this in mind get someone who doesn't mind form filling and is has a good level of understanding formal English because the forms are designed to cover all possibilities and circumstances so your replies to each question should be clear and precise and legible.

As a former benefit officer the one thing that hurts your claim is whether it can be read or not. Scruffy illegible handwriting and lack of supporting evidence will go a long way into your claim not given the attention it should deserve, after all it is just another human being trying to do a difficult job under stressful circumstances and if you do not persist with your claim they will assume you decided to let it drop and that will be that.

Keep records, keep a copy of your claim as written, scan or photocopy it, always take note of names of who you speak to and the time and date you spoke to them and ask them to record the fact you rang in. Keep copies of all communication in any form, letter, email, phone or visit as these will all help if you go to appeal.

The whole process is a minefield and it is there to weed out those who do not fit the requirement for that particular benefit, however unfair that may seem. Too many people have claimed in the past fraudulently and as they say it only takes one bad apple to ruin the barrel.

In past experience when I had cause to run into claimants who did not have a claim that was justified, it made me very angry as there were many more I met who should of been claiming but didn't because of this long drawn out complicated process.

Again I will stress, it is down to you to prove your condition not for the claim assessor to prove you do not. Be truthful and back up every claim to your health you make because if you can't...it is here-say and anyone can do that.

Your GP, specialist DR, the medicines you take, are your proof and a confirmed diagnosis.

I educated my assessor to my condition of Fibromyalgia by sending to him with my claim all the info supplied by FM UK, a recognised association.

I hope this goes some way to helping you with your claim. As I have said before in my posts go to Benefits and work website as there is loads of help on there.

Stephanie

[sandyjo]

yes i'm in that site and it is very good... Helps people understand more and u get infor through before ur DWP sends letter so no more surprize letters u know before them! Yes i took my daughter along to my meeting she is my carer, helps me a lot, I've even told my gp he can talk to her...